Group Ride - Mute Group Chat BUT Keep Leader Messages?

General Discussion
1

Hi, tough to believe I’m that original, but I can’t find this question elsewhere.

I generally leave group chat messages turned off all the time, because I find them distracting at best. Even on group rides they’re 80% composed of people complaining about flyers going too fast, the front needing to slow down, etc.

However, if I leave group comments muted while on a group ride, then I don’t seem to see the ride leader comments either - the ones that otherwise show up in yellow text in the center of the screen. I’d like to see the leader messages - because those give useful direction (speed up, go easy on this hill, sprint starts here, etc.). Is there a way to hide / mute group chat while on a group ride, while still getting leader messages, i.e., anything coming from whoever is designated a ride leader (yellow or red beacons, I think?).

I’m using an iPad, for what it’s worth.

If this exists and I’m missing it, please point me in the right direction? If not, then I’ll request it as a feature, and until then I’ll just keep ignoring people complaining about how other people (virtually) ride their bikes. Seriously, if they wanna ride off the front on a 2w/kg ride, just let 'em go…

Thanks,
Mike

2

Bumping this one for visibility.
Is there an option for this yet?

It’d be great if this could be set independently for on screen messages and the tab in companion too. For example only show the group leader messages on screen but show everything in companion.

3

I think the lack or responses on this thread coupled with the 5 year gap between the start of the thread and the only response means that it’s not a popular request.

I’m sure you have your reasons for wanting chat turned off but part of Zwifts attraction is that community engagement.
I have an event as a leader and take part in other led events. The chat from the group is what makes these events so worthwhile.

I personally don’t find participants messages distracting, they’re only on screen for a few seconds and don’t dominate the eyeline.

I’m sure many more feel the same.

1 Like
4

This is a good idea.

I have added my vote in support of the original idea. Sometimes you aren’t interested in all the chatter.

Also it would be useful to have the ride leader messages able to be moved higher on the screen so they are not blocking the view ahead.

5

There are situations where there is a ride leader but the group’s chatter is simply overwhelming. On most group rides with up to a couple hundred participants I find it’s OK, but I expect that different people have different levels of tolerance for that. But when for example a grand tour winner leads a celebrity ride with 1500 participants, the level of inane chatter is off the charts, and only the leader’s messages are of any interest. Nobody is socializing with each other in that scenario.

6

I can see how that could be an issue. Each comment would get overwritten by the next so you’d barely be able to read anything.

Obviously the chat is limited to those within the boundary of the chat range but on keep everyone together rides then yes that could be a fair few.

Luckily in running events not many people have mastered the art of typing on the move so chatter is limited by both the people that do it and what they say.

7

Sometimes it just ends up with everyone stomping on everyone else with the chatter so even if you were trying to follow some conversations it just gets someone else’s comment going over the top if it almost immediately.

It becomes pointless to have the chat in those cases.